Skin-stretcher.



E. L. GUY.

, SKIN STRETCHER. v APPLICATION FILED NOV. 2 I917- Patented Oct. 28, 1919.

INVENTOR Emmi]; fizzy WITNESSES ATTORTEY ERNEST LEROY GUY, 0F A'IWOOD, INDIANA.

SKIN-STRETCI-IER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 28, 1919.

Application filed November 28, 1917. Serial No. 204,415.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Enisnsr L. GUY, a citizen of the United States, residing at Atwood in the county of Kosciusko and State of Indiana, have invented certaln new and useful Improvements in Skin-Stretchers, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to new and useful improvements in skin stretchers, and an important object of the same resides 1n the provision of a pair of spring arms, whereby skins of various widths may be placed upon the stretcher without the necessity of making several adjustments to these arms.

Another object of my invention 1s to provide a device including a plurality of arms having means arranged upon one of said arms whereby a skin may be stretched to any desired point and retained in this pos1- tion.

Another object of my invention is to provide a device including a clamping means slidably mounted upon one of the said arms for securing the ends of the skin to. the stretcher.

Other objects and advantages will be apparent during the course of the following description.

In the accompanying drawings form ng a part of the description and whereln l ke numerals are employed to designate l1ke parts throughout the same,

Figure 1 is a front elevation of my invention with a skin stretched upon the same,

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the stretcher, and 1 Fig. 3 is an enlarged perspective view of the adjusting means.

In the drawings wherein for the purpose of illustration is shown a preferred embodiment of my invention, the numeral 1 designates a steel spring wire bent intermediate its ends to form a spring loop 2, and a pair of spaced diverging arms 3. It is the normal tendency of these arms 3 to sprlng apart by means of the provision of the loop 2. This portion constitutes the ma1n frame of the stretcher. A depending rod 4: hav ing its upper end looped as at 5 to engage the loop 2 of the main frame, is adapted to be arranged between the normally dlverging arms 3, and to extend a substantial distance beyond the free ends of the arms 3. The lower end of this rod 4 is provided with a plurality of outwardly and downwardly spaced projections or lugs 6, for a purpose which will be hereinafter set forth.

A collar 7 tapered downwardly from its top to its lower end is provided with a central longitudinal opening, through which it is slidably mounted upon the rod 1. This collar 7 is circular in cross section, for the reception of the' upper ring 8 and the lower ring 9 thereon for a purpose which will be hereinafter set forth. The upper ring 8 is substantially larger than the lower one 9, and is adapted to slide freely upon the tapered collar 7 until it reaches a point adjacent the upper end thereof. The smaller ring 9 is adapted to snugly engage the collar 7 at a point substantially intermediate its ends. The lower end of this 9011M is adapted to carry a depending lock- 1ng rod 10, which is screw-threaded into the base of the collar as at 11. The lower end of this rod is bent outwardly and downwardly to form the looped portion 12, the free end of which terminates in an upwardly extending U shaped portion 13, and

is adapted to engage with the projection 6 when a skin is positioned upon the stretcher. The loop portion 12 forms a ,hand grip when it is desired to move the collar along the rod 4, for the purpose of adjusting the tautness of the skin.

A skin 14 is applied to the stretcher by simply pressing the free ends of the arms 3 inwardly, so that the skin may be readily slipped upon the main frame. The arms 3 will immediately spring outwardly, and pin the skin thereon. The tail end 15 of the back of the skin is snugly placed around a portion of the tapered collar 7 and the largest ring 8 moved upwardly and over the skin to clamp the same upon the collar. The belly portion 16 of the end of the skin is then placed to snugly engage a portion of the opposite side of the collar in order that the smaller ring 9 may be moved upwardly to clamp this portion of the skin to the collar. The collar 7 is made of such diameter that the back and belly portions of the skin may be held in spaced relation in order that air may be readily circulated through the skin and thoroughly dry the same. After the ends of the skin have been clamped as above set forth the collar is then moved downwardly of the rod 4 until the desired tautness is acquired. The U shaped end 18 of the rod 4 is then engaged with the end side of one of the projections 6 whereby the collar 7 will be restricted against an upward movement.

It will also be noted that the loop 2 may be used in suspending the stretcher from a nail or any other suitable support.

It is to be understood that the form of my invention herewith shown and described is to be taken as a preferred example of the same and that various changes in the shape, size, and arrangement of parts may be resorted to without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the subjoined claims.

Having described my invention, I claim:

1. The combination with a frame consisting of a pair of diverging spring arms, a rod, of a tapered collar slidably mounted upon said rod, rings on said collar for securing a skin thereto, and means for adjusting the position of said collar upon said rod whereby the skin may be stretched upon the spring arms while the grip of the rings is being increased.

2. A skinstretcher comprising a pair of spring arms, a depending rod hingedly connected thereto and extending beyond the free ends of said arms, a member slidably mounted upon said rod, means carried by said member for clamping the ends of the skin thereto, a plurality of downwardly Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the curved projections formed upon the rod, and a rod having its free end provided with a U-shaped member for engagement with the downwardly curved projection for retaining said sliding member in an adjusted position.

8. A skin stretcher comprising a pair of spring arms, a rod hingedly connected thereto, a collar carried by said rod, and rings arranged thereon for securing the ends of the skin to the collar.

4. A skin stretcher comprising a frame consisting of a spring wire bent into a loop intermediate its ends so that the free ends of said wire form a pair of spring arms depending from said loop and normally extending in diverging relation to one another throughout their entire length, said arms being free to move outwardly or inwardly of each other, a rod loosely suspended from said loop and interposed between said arms, a member slidably mounted upon said rod, means on said member for securing a skin thereto, and means for retaining said sliding member in adjusted position upon said rod.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

ERNEST LEROY GUY.

Witnesses:

ODIE PLUMMER,

J. E. SMITH.

Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. G. 

